Despurring

I finally got up the nerve to despur the roosters and had my hubby home at the same time tonight. We watched a couple of YouTube videos and headed out to do the deed. However, it is not as easy as it looked on the videos. The first roo - a two year old Isa Brown- has huge spurs. There was no budging them. The second roo is a one year old Barred Rock. A tiny piece flaked off the outside of the spur, but the whole spur remained intact. Now he is holding the one leg we tried on up and looking at me like I'm a big meanie.

What could I be doing wrong? Is there any way to make this easier? I've thought of softening the point of attachment with a bit of olive oil for a few days prior to our next attempt. Any suggestions or tips?

I did a couple of mine, the trick is to grab it very close to the leg. I had to rock it back and forth and eventually the capsule popped off, there was some blood but not alot. Another I did ended up breaking the small soft spur underneth, then there was a lot of blood, but some flour did the trick to stop the bleeding.
Some people i have read use plyers to grab a better hold, but the key is to pop it off the base of the leg and not far out near the tip.

I had no idea.

When we despurred our cochin it was so easy that I can't imagine that it would cause any problem to remove, perhaps just the breed.

Take a pair of pliers, grab the spur nice and tight, close to the leg, twist and pull off. You may have to twist a little bit, as was said, but that should pop right off, maybe a little force, but it will come off. I would try again if I were you. I have heard of this being done by lots of people. I think the trick is a firm grasp, twisting and pulling gently at the same time. Try again. You will see beneath the outer casing, that there is a tiny spur, looking very similar to what the horny growth looks like. I have to do my buff orpington soon, his are quite long and is long overdue. Remember, grasp firmly, twist and pull off the cap, should work, just keep tryin'. Have a great time and a wonderful day, CynthiaM.

After the outer casing is removed, do you then trim off the underlying soft spur?

No, that is when you will get alot of bleeding.

Doesn't the soft spur then harden and jab into the hen? The pictures I looked at make it look so pointy and sharp, almost more dangerous than the outer casing of the spur.

^ Yes it would harden, which is why I like to blunt the ends of the spurs with dog toe nail clippers. Just make sure you have flour (or styptic powder) on hand to stop the blood if you cut too far.


I'd really like to know if the "hot potato" despurring method works. Anyone ever try it?

I'd be interested in the hot potato thing too if anyone has experience with it.

Flicker Chick, when you cli the spurs, how close to the leg do you clip? Do you use the dog clippers with the hole in them that work sort of like a guillotine?
I think my roos spurs are too big round for that. Do you think I could use something like prurining shears instead?

DCCHICK That would work too.

Heather

Yes, those are the type of clippers I used and I concur with Heather.

If you do happen to try the hot potato, I'd be very interesed to hear how it goes.

I use a grinder. I can take them off quite short and there is no bleeding as the grinder cauterises them as it goes. I do need a helper to do it and I just take my time. I end up with short, flat ended stubs instead of long, pointy spurs.